Public hearing on Ordinance 9 staffing draws strong testimony from paramedics and providers; decision set for March
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Summary
At a Feb. 5 Health Committee hearing, paramedics and union leaders urged keeping a two‑paramedic staffing mandate, while private and hospital-affiliated ambulance services urged aligning county ordinance with Minnesota statute 144E (paramedic + EMT model) to boost system reliability amid workforce shortages. The hearing was closed and the item returns to committee March 10 with a final board decision scheduled March 17.
Hennepin County’s Health Committee held a public hearing on Feb. 5 on proposed changes to Ordinance 9, which governs emergency medical services staffing. Committee staff explained the proposal would align the county’s staffing language with Minnesota statute chapter 144E, which allows advanced life support (ALS) ambulances to be staffed with either two paramedics or a paramedic and an EMT.
Union leaders and public EMS providers argued against rescinding the county’s historic two‑paramedic requirement. "Being the only ALS provider on an ambulance is mentally, physically, and emotionally draining for providers," said Sam Erickson, a Hennepin EMS paramedic and union leader who testified in person, arguing the two‑paramedic model supports clinician safety and health‑equity outcomes in lower‑resourced communities.
Hospital‑affiliated and private ambulance leaders told the committee the statewide paramedic+EMT model reflects modern scope‑of‑practice changes for EMTs and would improve operational flexibility and system reliability. Susan Long, president and EMS chief of Allina Health EMS, urged the board to eliminate the two‑paramedic mandate and "adopt staffing language consistent with Minnesota statute 144E," citing workforce shortages and evidence that rigid two‑paramedic staffing does not improve outcomes for the majority of 911 responses. North Memorial leaders and medical directors offered similar testimony that EMT/paramedic pairings enable more ambulances to operate and distribute resources to meet demand.
Committee members asked presenters for additional data and memos. Chair Connolly confirmed the process: the staffing section of Ordinance 9 is suspended until March 31 to allow review; the topic will return to the Health Committee on March 10 and to the full Board on March 17 for final action.
What happens next: Multiple commissioners requested supplemental materials, comparative data on overlay crews and coverage, and written memos from testimony providers to inform committee deliberations ahead of the March meetings.
Sources: Public hearing testimony at Hennepin County Health Committee (Feb. 5, 2026).
